Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 08:31     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:How do you contribute 50K a year to a 401K? How old are you?


How hard is that? My oen 401k contributions last yesr were 36k (full employer match) and my DH 25k, partial match. Total retirement contributions 61k.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 08:29     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:I am very financially naive so please don't flame me for asking this question.
Hearing about the Dow hitting 20 makes me wonder about the following:
In 2007 DH and I had 400k in a 401k. We withdrew it all and used it to make a bad investment. We have not built it back up and yes we had to pay huge taxes on the early withdrawal.
My question is had we not done that and continued to contribute (about 50k per year) what would we have now and what would it be worth? I guess just a masochist for wanting to know as I regret this decision but there is nothing we can do about it now.
Just wondering if any financial people out there could make a calculation??


True statement.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 08:18     Subject: Re:401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Close to a million.


No, a lot more... assuming 50k/year contribution plus avg return rate of 7% (typical for index funds).


You can't assume a $50k/yr contribution to a 401k.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:59     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:How do you contribute 50K a year to a 401K? How old are you?


np. We do. In our 30s. Two people, IRS max, plus some employer matching/bonuses.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:49     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

How do you contribute 50K a year to a 401K? How old are you?
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:47     Subject: Re:401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:So was the the tax on it 40 percent plus a 10 percent penalty? If you used it to buy an investment property, I could kind of rationalize this, but I have no idea.


np. The sad thing is, you can buy an investment property with tax-sheltered IRA funds. There's no need to pay taxes/penalties.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:35     Subject: Re:401k and the Dow hitting 20

So was the the tax on it 40 percent plus a 10 percent penalty? If you used it to buy an investment property, I could kind of rationalize this, but I have no idea.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:33     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I found an online calculator that assumes 6% and it said about 1.8. Wow.


6% is a conservative estimate. Although 2007 was prior to the crash, the returns since March 2009 have been much higher. So you'd probably be over $2M.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:31     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

OPs stupidity makes me feel great about myself!
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:24     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

OP here. I found an online calculator that assumes 6% and it said about 1.8. Wow.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:13     Subject: Re:401k and the Dow hitting 20

Anonymous wrote:Close to a million.


No, a lot more... assuming 50k/year contribution plus avg return rate of 7% (typical for index funds).
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 07:01     Subject: Re:401k and the Dow hitting 20

Close to a million.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 06:57     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

How was that money invested? Do you really want to know? It will ruin your day.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 06:22     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

It's kind of an impossible question since we have no idea how that money would have been invested.

But yeah, you'd definitely have more than you do now.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2017 06:14     Subject: 401k and the Dow hitting 20

I am very financially naive so please don't flame me for asking this question.
Hearing about the Dow hitting 20 makes me wonder about the following:
In 2007 DH and I had 400k in a 401k. We withdrew it all and used it to make a bad investment. We have not built it back up and yes we had to pay huge taxes on the early withdrawal.
My question is had we not done that and continued to contribute (about 50k per year) what would we have now and what would it be worth? I guess just a masochist for wanting to know as I regret this decision but there is nothing we can do about it now.
Just wondering if any financial people out there could make a calculation??